PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement by the President of Ukraine, the President of the Republic of Lithuania, the President of the Republic of Poland on the Russian Federation’s decision to recognise the so-called “DPR” and “LPR”

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 23 February 2022.

We, the Presidents of Ukraine, the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Poland – the Lublin Triangle, gathered in Kyiv on 23 February 2022, express our strongest condemnation of the decision by the Russian Federation to recognise the quasi-entities in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine – the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic” and “Donetsk People’s Republic”.

This unprovoked aggressive step by Russia constitutes yet another blatant violation of the fundamental norms and principles of the international law, including the UN Charter, as well as security assurances given to Ukraine in the framework of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum.

Russia deliberately and unilaterally has withdrawn from the Minsk agreements and therefore bears full responsibility for further deterioration of the security situation on the ground.

We reaffirm our strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters. The Russian Federation’s decision to recognise the so-called “LNR” and “DPR” will have no legal implications.

We call upon the international community to take resolute and far-reaching steps in response to this yet another act of aggression committed by Russia against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This response should include swift introduction of robust package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, including the measures targeting the Nord Stream 2.

We urge Russia to de-escalate and to withdraw its armed forces deployed around Ukraine’s borders and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and to refrain from taking any further military actions.

The Presidents of Lithuania and Poland stand by Ukraine and fully commend and support its efforts to solve Russian-Ukrainian conflict by diplomatic and peaceful means.

Ukraine deserves our strongest support of its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, which goes in line with the free will and choice of the Ukrainian nation.

Lithuania and Poland reconfirm their support for Ukraine’s European perspective, in line with respective Joint Declarations signed on 18 March and on 3 May 2021.

We emphasize that, given the significant progress in the implementation of the Association Agreement and internal reforms, as well as the current security challenges, Ukraine deserves EU candidate status and the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Poland will support Ukraine in achieving this goal.